Who was Muhammad? 18-07-21.

 Alternative Title:visit miraj Muhammad prophet.                                                                                            Miraj in Islam,the ascension of heaven.In this tradition ,Muhammad is prepared for his meeting with  Allah by the archangels jibril and mikal one evening while he is asleep in the kaaba, the sacred shrine of mecca. They open up his body and purify his heart by removing all traces of error, doubt , idolatry and paganism and by filling it with wisdom and belief.In the earliest interpretations of the miraj the prophet is then transported by jibril directlyto the lowest heaven. But early in islamic history the story of the ascension came to be associated with the story of Muhammad's night journey isra from the "sacred place of worship mecca to the further place of worship "jerusalam.The two separate incidents were gradually combined so that chronologically the purification of Muhammad in his sleep begains the squence.He is then transported in a single night from mecca to jerusalam by the winged mythical creature buraq.From jerusalam, where the dome of the Rock now stands, he is accompained by jibril to heaven,ascending possibly by ladder or staircase,miraj.                                                                                                                 Muhammad and jibril enter the first heaven and proceed through all heaven levels until they reach the throne of God. Along the way they meet the prophets Adam,Yahya, Isa, Yusuf, musa, and ibrahim ,and visit hell and paradise. musa alone of all the inhabitants of heaven  spearks at any length to the visitors, he says that Muhammad is more highly regarded y God than himself and that Muhammad 's following outnumbers his own.Once Muhammad appears before God there is some question as to  whether he actully saw him  , he is told recite the salat" ritual prayer" 50 times each day.musa,however,advises Muhammad  to plead for a reduction of the number as being too difficult for believers,and the obligation is eventually reduced to five preyers each day.                                                 Muhammad 's miraj has been a constant source of speculation among Muslims.Some state that the ascension was merely a dream, others speculate that only Muhammad's soul entered heaven,while his body remained on earth.Parallels have been drawn between the miraj and the manner in which a dead man's soul will progress to judgment at God's throne ,the sufis muslim mystics , claim it describes the soul's leap into mystic knowledge .Popularly the ascension is celebrated with  readings of the legend on the 27th day of Rajab ,called Laylat al-miraj,"night of the ascension".